Hybrid Radio Detector Triggering for Low-Power Tag Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT devices face challenges with high power consumption during transceiver operations, making it impractical to power them using energy harvesting, especially in applications requiring global tag discovery and identification, and existing backscatter communication technologies have limited link budgets and are not suitable for cellular technologies like 5G NR.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid reader system with two passive energy harvesting modules and an active module that determines frequency range occupancy using power spectral density thresholds to trigger the active module only when necessary, allowing for efficient detection of backscatter signals and tag identification in unlicensed spectra.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active radio detectors are continuously activated for tag discovery and identification, then detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases making energy harvesting impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic sensing operations where passive modules periodically monitor frequency ranges and actively trigger the active radio detector only when occupancy conditions are met, rather than continuous operation. This periodic activation pattern significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining reliable detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Passive energy harvesting modules autonomously monitor their respective frequency ranges and self-trigger the active radio detector when tag signals are detected, eliminating the need for continuous external power supply and control. The system serves itself by using harvested energy to intelligently activate detection only when needed.
2Measurement precision
If passive modules monitor multiple frequency ranges with different bandwidths, then detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency spectrum is segmented into multiple distinct ranges, each monitored by a dedicated passive module with optimized bandwidth. The first passive module monitors a first frequency range with first bandwidth, while the second passive module monitors a second frequency range with second bandwidth. This segmentation allows each module to be simpler while collectively achieving high detection accuracy across the full spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
Each passive module is designed with multi-functionality to perform both energy harvesting and occupancy detection of its assigned frequency range. The modules universally handle signal monitoring, power harvesting, and trigger generation, reducing overall system complexity by consolidating functions rather than requiring separate dedicated components for each task.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces unnecessary activation of energy-hungry active radio detectors, enables efficient energy harvesting, and supports global tag discovery and identification, even in limited power conditions, while minimizing complexity and cost.
Implementation Method 1
The first passive module may comprise a first energy harvesting module. The first passive module may not have any other source of electrical power. The second passive module may comprise a second energy harvesting module. The second passive module may not have any other source of electrical power.
Implementation Method 2
determining whether a power level (e.g. power spectral density (PSD)) of a received signal in each of the first plurality of frequency ranges is above a first threshold level, such that the respective frequency range is determined to be occupied
Implementation Method 3
the active module comprises a radio detector for detecting a target waveform (such as an envelope detector based tag ID)
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program is described comprising: determining, using a first passive module, whether one or more of a first plurality of frequency ranges is occupied, wherein each of the first plurality of frequency ranges has one of a first set of one or more bandwidths; determining, using a second passive module, whether one or more of a second plurality of frequency ranges is occupied, wherein each of the second plurality of frequency ranges has one of a second set of one or more bandwidths, and wherein a smallest bandwidth amongst the second set of bandwidths is larger than a largest bandwidth amongst the first set of bandwidths; and triggering an active module in the event that one or more of the first plurality of frequency ranges is determined to be occupied and none of said second plurality of frequency ranges is determined to be occupied, wherein the active module comprises a radio detector for detecting a target waveform.